Dragon Dream?
by Brownriderco
Summary: What happens when a boy from the early 21st century somehow winds up on Pern? I know it's been done before, but this is a new twist. Rated T for safety. Complete as of 2/6/09. Reviews are appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Here is a story that's been bugging me. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it._

_Disclaimer: The Dragonriders Of Pern is a trademark of and copyrighted to Anne McCaffrey. This is fan fiction which garners _**NO MONEY WHATSOEVER**_ for the author of this work._

Chapter One

Jordan Tillek got off the school bus and headed in to the house to put away his books and such before he went to do chores. He actually liked the chores. Well, the mucking out of the stalls wasn't fun but he liked the rest of it.

He consulted the list his dad had written out and groaned. It was his turn to muck the stalls. Actually that was first on the list. Jordan was actually glad it was first. That was the one chore he hated and wanted to get it over with quickly.

After he finished the last stall, he breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of the chores were fun, but mucking stalls was no fun at all.

He grabbed a pitchfork and headed out to bail hay. His two brothers, Jerry and Jim were already at it.

"Glad you could join us, runt," Jim said. He always loved reminding his youngest brother of the fact he was small for his age.

The three brothers chatted about the things boys talk about as they used their pitchforks to put the hay in somewhat neat piles for the bailer.

Suddenly Jordan felt light headed and woozy. The scene seemed to swim around him and he fell unconscious.

* * *

Talaya, headwoman of Ista Weyr, rose at her accustomed time and headed for the kitchen to get the day started. As she passed, she banged on the doors to the kitchen drudges quarters to wake them up for the day. "Come on, you lot. Time to wake up. Don't make me come in and dump you out of bed!"

She walked into the main room of the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks. A young boy of what looked to be about nine or ten turns was laying in the middle of the floor. He was wearing odd sweat stained clothing.

"What have we here?" she asked the room at large. He looked too young to be a candidate and she didn't recognize him as a weyr brat.

She walked over, bent down and gave him a shake. "Come on, boy. You can't sleep on the kitchen floor."

As she touched his shoulder she noticed that the material of the clothing he was wearing felt oddly smooth.

The boy opened his eyes and tried to scramble to his feet. He got to a sitting position when his head started swimming. He put a hand to his head, feeling if there were any bumps or cuts.

"Are ye alright, boy?"

He looked at her in confusion and said, "Who are you? Where am I?"

"I'm Talaya, Headwoman. You're at Ista. The weyr, not the hold. So what's you name, brat?"

He shook his head slowly trying to assimilate what she had said. She was Talaya. A woman who was in charge. But what was Ista? And what was a weyr?

"I'm Jordan. Jordan Tillek. What's a weer? And I've never heard of Ista."

"Jordan of Tillek and you've never heard of a weyr? Have you been sick lately, boy?"

Jordan shook his head. "No. Not Jordan of Tillek. Jordan Tillek. Tillek is my last name."

"You have two names? When did people start giving their whelps two names?"

"As long as I can remember, Ma'am. Say, what's going on here?"

"I don't know boy," Talaya said, Then something seemed to dawn on her. "Where you from, boy?"

"Kansas. Just outside Manhattan. I live on a farm."

"Kansas? Never heard of any hold named Kansas with farms on it or otherwise. What planet?"

"What kind of question is that?" Jordan demanded. "Same planet everyone comes from. Earth."

Talaya nodded. "I thought as much. I'm sure you're folks are worried, but we can fix that. I'll turn you over to the Weyrwoman and she can contact the ambassador who can get a message to Earth on the dragon net."

These words were incomprehensible to Jordan.

"Can you stand, son?" She asked him.

Jordan carefully got to his feet. His head was no longer swimming.

"Let's go." Others had arrived and were staring at the boy. "Stop your gawking and get the porridge and Klah going. People around here wake up hungry. I'll be right back." So saying she led the boy out into a passage.

They took several passageways and finally Talaya stopped at a door and knocked.

"Who is it? And this had better be good," came a woman's voice from the other side of the door.

"Talaya, Weyrwoman. I have a problem that needs your attention."

"At five on the clock? Just a moment while I get decent."

Shortly the door opened showing a young woman in her middle to late twenties. Jordan thought she looked beautiful.

"Come in, Talaya. And who's this?"

After they had entered the woman's quarters, Talaya said. "I found him sleeping on the floor of the kitchen. He say his name is Jordan Tillek. Not _of_ Tillek. Tillek is his last name. He says he's from Earth. Kansas. A farm outside of someplace called Manhattan."

Ellen looked at the boy skeptically. There were no farms in that area. It was all automated factories; the industrial center of the North American continent.

"So how did you wind up in our kitchen, Mr. Tillek?

"I don't know, Ma'am. I was bailing hay with my brothers and suddenly felt dizzy. The next thing I know I was on a hard floor."

"Don't lie to me boy," Ellen said. "Where are you from? I know you aren't from a farm in Kansas. There are no farms in that district."

"What are you talking about?" Jordan wasn't understanding this. "No farms in Kansas? We're famous for farms. And it's not a district. It's a state."

Something was niggling at the back of Ellen's mind. She couldn't place it, but something wasn't right here. All of a sudden it hit her.

"What's the date?"

Jordan was nonplussed. "The date? August 12, 2005. What does that have to do with anything?"

Ellen stared at him in shock. This wasn't possible. This boy came from almost 3000 years in the past? And how would he have gotten here?

"I think you need to sit down, Jordan. I have some shocking news. As much to me as to you," Ellen told him. She looked at Talaya and said, "You can go. I've got this from here."

"Thank you, Weyrwoman. I don't like leaving the kitchen this early in the morning. Some wherry-headed fool is likely to burn the Klah or such."

With that she exited gracefully, closing the door behind her.

"So what's going on, Ma'am?"

"You'd better brace yourself, Jordan. The year is 4617, Standard calendar."

Jordan's mouth fell open. "_No. _You're lying!" he yelled. "That's not possible!" He jumped to his feet and seeing a large opening rushed toward it. He emerged into a large cavern where an enormous gold creature slumbered. 'That's a dragon!' He thought to himself. 'Dragons are a myth!'

The dragon had opened it's eyes. _Yes. I'm a dragon. What is a myth?_

Jordan stared at the dragon with wild eyes. He had to be losing his mind. He couldn't have heard that thing talking to him. And without words?

The dragon rose and was bringing her head closer to inspect the intruder.

Jordan bolted back the way he came. "There's a monster out there! It wants to eat me!"

Ellen just shook her head. "No. That's not a monster. That's my queen dragon. And she doesn't want to eat you. She wants to get to know you. Did you not hear her when she spoke to you?"

"That was real?"

Ellen sighed. "I forgot you aren't from here or now. Yes. It was real."

_What is a myth?_ Saylath repeated.

"It's a made up story, sweetheart," Ellen told her aloud.

_I am not a made up story. I am as real as the youngling. You hear me youngling? I am as real as you._

Jordan couldn't believe he was hearing a voice in his head. This was surreal.

Ellen had caught him by the hand and pulled him out into Saylath's quarters.

When she lowered her head to inspect him, he cringed, sure he was about to be eaten alive.

_I am _not _going to eat you, you silly boy. It would take five of you to make a barely decent snack. And dragons _don't_ eat humans. You'd probably taste worse than my own tail._

"She likes to have her eye ridges scratched," Ellen said, chuckling.

He reached out and scratched one carefully. Saylath crooned.

Then to her rider only she said, _I'll tell Granth to give this one a looking at. She is much better at searching than me, but I feel something from this one._

Ellen nodded mentally giving no outward sign.

All of a sudden, his plight hit him and Jordan burst into tears. "This r-really is 4617? A-a-and I'm really on another p-planet?"

"I'm afraid so, Jordan. I don't know how it happened. It seems impossible, even to me, but here you are."

"My parents? And Brothers?" He already knew the answer but was hoping against hope.

"Unless they're immortals, they'd have to be dead," she told him gently. "I'm sorry."

He hung his head. "I knew," he said despondently. "So what's next for me? The out of date freak?"

"You don't look like a freak to me," Ellen said. "A huge amount has changed in the intervening time. Earth is a founding member of The Confederation of Sentient States. While there are not many non-human members, mainly because for the most part non-humans don't think anything like us, there are a few. And the only thing the CSS will see is a ten year old boy; a sentient being with the same rights as any other child."

"I'm thirteen," Jordan said. "I've always been small for my age. My brother Jim loves to tease me about it. Loved to, that is." The tears started anew.

Ellen was about to tell him about the possibility of him being searched for candidacy, but wisely decided against it. There was no need to get the boy's hopes up and then have them dashed if Granth disagreed.

* * *

The next few days were a real eye opener for Jordan. The dragons fascinated him the most. These were not the dragons of Earth legend, even though they fit the general physical description. These were engaging, fascinating creatures. None had spoken to him, aside from the queen, but they regarded him with intelligent eyes. And he somehow knew when they were speaking to their riders. He couldn't hear the exchange, not even the dragon side of it, but somehow he just knew when the dragon spoke.

One day right after breakfast, he was crossing the bowl when a green dragon carrying a pretty young woman landed. The woman dismounted. "You'd be Jordan Tillek?"

He nodded. "And you?"

"Tremeka, rider of green Granth."

The dragon had brought her head down and was carefully inspecting Jordan. Then she withdrew.

After a short time, Jordan asked, "So, what did she say?"

"How did you know she spoke to me?"

"I don't know. I can feel when a dragon speaks. Can't hear what's being said, but I feel something."

"Are you sure, Granth? This one seems like he's dragon deaf."

"I am _not_ dragon deaf," Jordan asserted. "The queen spoke directly to me and I heard and understood her."

After a moment, Tremeka nodded. "Very well, then. I'd like to congratulate you. You've been searched and found worthy. It's up to you, though."

"Found worthy of what?" Jordan had no idea what she was talking about.

"Worthy of being a candidate and standing on the hatching ground at the next hatching."

"A candidate for what? I don't understand. And why would I stand near hatching eggs? Wouldn't the mother dragon be upset if someone other than her rider was around her children when they were born?"

"Not from Pern?" Tremeka asked.

Jordan shook his head.

Tremeka nodded. "I see. When a dragon hatches, he or she _must_ bond to a human. We have candidates standing by on the hatching ground as they hatch. The hatchlings choose the person they want and the two, human and hatchling form a life-long mental bond."

Jordan was staring at her open-mouthed. He could have a dragon of his own?

"And the dragon talks to the rider?"

Tremeka chuckled. "Yes. But it's more than that. You can always feel your dragon and your dragon can always feel you. Your dragon will never leave you. As long as you both live, you will never be alone. When you die, you're dragon will follow you, as a dragon can't bear being without his rider."

This was too much for Jordan. What she was saying was incredible. But it sounded like a life changing decision. Of course what was there for him here, now? His family was long dead. He had no one but himself. He nodded slowly. "I accept."

"Since you aren't from Pern, I want to make sure you understand, there is no guarantee you will impress. It's up to the hatchlings. We accept whatever they decide. I wasn't even a candidate. I was a spectator. And this darling," she indicated her dragon, "wanted me above any of the remaining candidates. It wasn't exactly approved of, but the decision of the hatchlings is final."

"I understand," he responded.

"There are no eggs on the sands right now, but we are expecting Tenanth to lay a clutch within the sevenday. I'll inform the candidatemaster. The Weyrwoman will show you where you can report and when." She mounted her dragon and the dragon took wing.

* * *

_A/N: That's it for chapter 1. Just a note. This is set entirely in the Reunion AU. In this AU there weren't any Dragonriders of Pern books published. See you next time._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Here is the next chapter. A nice long one. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Reviews are greatly appreciated and missed when absent. This is a _very _minor rewrite to correct an omission mentioned in Chapter 3._

_Disclaimer: The Dragonriders of Pern is a trademark of and copyrighted to Anne McCaffrey. This is fan fiction which garners _**NO MONEY WHATSOEVER**_ for the author of this work_

Chapter Two

Jordan found the Weyrwoman coming out of the dining cavern into the bowl. He was about to speak to her when he heard a trumpeting sound. He turned and saw an enormous dragon, slightly smaller than the queen come in for a landing. There were two space suited figures on it's neck. The dragon had what looked like a mask hanging from his snout.

Jordan didn't know what to make of this but the Weyrwoman went directly to the dragon. The two figures had dismounted and removed their helmets. It was a male and a female who resembled each other. The Weyrwoman grabbed the male and kissed him full on the mouth while the space suited female stood by.

"Glad you're back, love," Jordan heard the Weyrwoman say. "Did you enjoy your visit?"

The man nodded. "Very much so. I've never been real close to Aunt Regina and Uncle Fenwick but they are family. You should have seen the look on their faces when they got a load of Sulanth."

Ellen chuckled. That would have been a sight to see.

"We have had a development while you were gone. I'll talk to you about it in our weyr. How's it going, Susan?"

"Going great," the space suited woman answered.

"We'll get you a ride to landing," Ellen told her. "I'm sure Sulanth is hungry and will need to sleep to digest."

Ellen nodded. "No hurry."

"Just a moment, D'vid," Ellen said. She walked over to Jordan. "Did you need to see me?"

"A woman named Tremeka, rider of green Grath said her dragon searched me. I accepted. She told me to talk to you about where and when to report to the candidatemaster?"

"Granth," Ellen corrected. "Her dragon's name is Granth, not Grath. Come up to my weyr in about two hours and we'll work it out."

Jordan nodded and Ellen walked back over to where the space suited figures waited.

"What's that all about?" D'vid asked.

"Very strange story. I'll tell you in private."

* * *

Jordan knocked on the door to the back entrance of Weyrwomans weyr. She opened the door and said, "Come in, young man."

He stepped inside to see her and the man who had arrived in the space suit.

"Jordan Tillek, This is Weyrleader D'vid. D'vid, this is the boy I was telling you about. The man extended his hand to shake. Jordan took the hand and found he had a firm grip.

"Welcome to Pern, son. And Ista Weyr in particular. The Weyrwoman has advised me of your plight. It must seem strange to be so far from your home both in time and distance."

Jordan nodded. "It all seems so impossible. Not the dragons and another planet, but that I could have traveled in time. I keep thinking it's a dream."

"This is no dream, son," D'vid assured him. "I'm as real as you. I've been informed you've been searched by Granth and you've accepted. I want to make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into. If you impress a dragon, there is _no_ going back. Your personalities, both yours and the dragon's will intertwine. It's often impossible to tell where human ends and dragon begins. And his needs will always come first."

Jordan nodded. "I've been told this and I choose to accept. My family is long dead; I have no one."

The woman who had been riding with D'vid stepped forward.

"That's not entirely true. I am the Ambassador to Pern from the Confederation of Sentient States. If you wish, I can arrange passage to Earth at the government's expense."

"And be put in an orphanage?" Jordan shook his head. "I'd rather take my chances here."

"It's not as bad as it was in your time. We have technology advanced beyond anything you've ever thought of. The state run orphanages are inspected weekly. Immediate action is taken if there is any sign of abuse or mistreatment. The people who run and work in these places aren't perfect and they are subject to human failings, but we do _not_ allow children to be abused, neglected or mistreated."

"Are you saying I have to go?" Jordan wanted to know.

The ambassador shook her head. "No. You are on Pern. You have been searched and found acceptable. By the laws here you have the right to decide this if nothing else. I simply didn't want you to think that this is the only option. It isn't. If you decide to stay here and stand for candidacy, that will be respected. If you decide to return to Earth, the authorities here are bound by their own laws to honor that decision."

Jordan looked at Ellen. She nodded and then spoke.

"I come from Earth myself. My mother came here to teach the piano. I was only fifteen and came with her. I was searched. My mother wasn't at all happy, but the decision was mine even if I was only fifteen at the time. This is one decision that only the searched person can make. At Benden Weyr, where I was searched, the age range was fourteen to twenty. Here it is twelve to twenty one. Since you fall within the age range the decision is yours and yours alone."

"I'll stay. I don't want to be alone. I would be on Earth. I don't care what you say, no one would understand what I'm going through. From what I've been told, if I impress a dragon, the dragon will."

"Very well young man," D'vid said, nodding. "We are expecting Tenanth to lay a clutch any day now. It usually take five or six sevendays, I'm sorry, weeks for them to hatch after they are layed. I'll take you to the candidatemaster shortly. He will assign you quarters in the candidates barracks. We already have three others here."

"I hope you are chosen by a dragon," the ambassador told him. "You can't be lonely if that happens."

"Come with me, Mr. Tillek," D'vid said. "I'll take you to the candidatemaster."

Jordan followed the man and soon they emerged into an oval room that had tables scattered around and doors around the outside perimeter. D'vid walked up to one and knocked.

"Enter!" someone commanded from the other side.

D'vid opened the door and walked in, trailed by Jordan.

The candidatemaster, an older man named S'torn, who had scars on his face, rose from his chair.. "Weyrleader. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I have a candidate for you. The one Granth searched. Her rider must have told you."

"Ah, yes. The boy from Earth. Is this him? He doesn't look old enough."

"I'm thirteen sir," Jordan said.

"Small for your age, eh? Well, no matter. Granth is a very good search dragon. If she says you'll attract a hatchling, it's likely you will. Welcome to candidates class, son."

"Thank you, sir," Jordan replied.

"Is there anything else, Weyrleader?"

"Just one thing," D'vid said. "He is not from now. Somehow, we don't know how, he was transported here from Earth almost 3000 turns in the past. He won't know any of our lore or customs. Where he comes from, dragons are mythical beings."

The candidatemaster was stunned. "So he comes from a time _before_ men even came to Pern?"

D'vid nodded. "He comes from a time before even the Confederation or it's predecessor."

The man nodded. "Thank you. I'll take that into account during training."

"I'll let you get to it, then." D'vid turned to Jordan. "Good luck son." Then he was out the door.

* * *

Jordan was assigned a room and clothing for him was drawn from stores. He attended classes and studied hard. He cheerfully performed every chore he was assigned. While he didn't like mucking out the weyrling's barracks, he didn't complain because it actually reminded him of his home.. In the evenings, he boned up on Pernese lore and learned the teaching ballads.

Tenanth had layed a clutch of twenty two eggs three days after he was taken to S'torn. On the second day of the fourth week, the class was taken in to see the eggs. Jordan was a bit nervous. The mother dragon was an enormous golden queen. She looked over each of the candidates and then withdrew and assumed a watchful position. Her eyes were the blue green of contentment. Jordan had learned what the color of dragon's eyes signified. He was glad she was calm. He still had a hard time understanding how dragons could be so dependent on humans. Why, they were huge. He had learned about Kitti Ping and her genetic engineering of the smaller fire lizards to produce these magnificent creatures. He considered her wise that she had programmed these great creatures to need humans. About how she did it, he was still in the dark, but he wasn't alone. Everyone alive on Pern was in the dark about it as well.

He was drawn to one of the mottled eggs. He touched it gently, caressing it. Then S'torn was telling them that their time was up and then had other work to do.

Eleven days later, the candidates were eating in the dining hall when a young woman rushed up to S'torn. She spoke with him in hushed tones. Then he rose and said, "When you have finished your meals report to your quarters and get your robes ready. I have been informed that the eggs will hatch in less than three hours. You have time, so finish your meals. Don't dawdle, but don't choke yourselves shoveling it in, either." With that he went back to his own meal.

After the meal they went back to the candidates barracks. Most were lounging around the common area, some with their robes in their hands, some with their robes already on. S'torn emerged from his office and begin to speak.

"The ones who aren't in your robes, get into them now." Raising his voice he called. "If you aren't in the common room, get out here now!"

Jordan and another boy emerged from one of the rooms, both in their robes.

"Alright, listen up, everyone," S'torn said. "You have all done well. You all deserve a dragon. It's a shame that some of you won't impress, but there are twenty two eggs and thirty two candidates. And while it's unlikely, one or two of the hatchlings may opt for someone in the stands. Failing to impress is nothing to be ashamed of. And it's not fatal; for you. It is one hundred percent fatal for a hatchling, which is why we always have more candidates than eggs. Let's go."

He led them out of the candidate's barracks to the back entrance of the hatching ground. As they were making their way there, the dragons started humming.

When they reached the back door to the hatching grounds, S'torn held up a hand and said, "Wait here."

He went through the door and in approximately ten minutes reappeared.

"Come with me, everyone." He took them in to the hatching ground and arranged them around the eggs. The mother dragon's eyes were whirling yellow but she was letting the candidates near the eggs.

"Calm down, Tenath," Jordan heard a woman say. "You're scaring them. You don't want them to be so afraid that they won't impress, do you?"

The whirling of the junior queen's eyes slowed and they gradually turned to blue.

The humming deepened and all of a sudden, Jordan heard a sharp cracking sound. He looked and three eggs had cracked at once. A bronze hatchling stepped out of one of the eggs and began creeling. It looked directly at Jordan and then looked away. The other eggs both contained blues. One looked at Jordan, then three of the other candidates and then made a beeline toward the gallery.

"His name is Matath," Jordan heard a boy say and looked and saw the bronze hatchling looking directly into the eyes of one of his classmates. "He's starving!" A rider led him out followed closely by the newly impressed bronze dragon.

As he turned from this scene he felt something bump against his legs. He looked and saw a hatchling with a hide of bright blue.

_I'm Potarth. And I'm starving_, Jordan heard in his head. He looked into the little dragon's eyes and was overwhelmed. It felt like coming home, only much more intense. And he knew he would never be alone again.

With tears in his eyes, he croaked out, "He says his name is Potarth. He's starving! I need to get him some food _now!_"

An older man was at his side. "This way, son. I'll show you where you can feed him."

As they were walking toward a door, Potarth asked rather plaintively, _Is this the way to the food?"_

Jordan laughed and said, "Yes, sweetheart. We'll get you something for your belly very soon."

They reached a door and went through it. The man led him to a wall where there were buckets of meat on low benches. Jordan grabbed a bucket and dipped his hand in for some morsels. He fed them to Potarth who projected his gratitude through the link to Jordan.

"You have to chew, dear heart," Jordan told him firmly. "I know you're hungry, but if you don't chew, you could choke. This food isn't going anwhere."

As Potarth was eating, he said, _You aren't alone anymore. You're mine and I'm yours. I'll never leave you. I'll follow you anywhere._

The conviction and devotion in Potarth's tone had Jordan in tears. What had he ever done to deserve the trust of such a magnificent creature?

* * *

The days went by and stretched into weeks. The weeks stretched into months and Potarth grew daily. Soon they were facing their first flight together and then their _between _initiation. Two pairs failed to emerge from _between._ Jordan, who had chosen to contract his name to J'dan, had listened to the instructions of the weyrlingmaster and made sure he visualized his destination. He wasn't afraid of dying, himself, for he knew that whatever waited for him on the other side, Potarth would be there. He was afraid for his dragon. They emerged from _between _right where they were supposed to be.

* * *

The Weyrlingmaster had assembled all the senior weyrlings and their dfragons in the bowl.

"Alright, everyone. I am now going to hand out assignments. You have all done extremely well and are ready to assume the duties of full fledged dragonriders. Come forward for your assignment when your name is called.

J'dan was hoping for the peaceforce division. He knew the chances of him getting it were slim. Only truly outstanding weyrlings were assigned to that division upon graduation.

He was lost in thought when he heard, "J'dan!"

He stepped forward and the weyrlingmaster handed him a folded sheet of paper. He took it and stepped back to his place to open it.

He unfolded it and saw, Medical Division, Wing three. Wingleader M'stai.

He nodded. He hadn't really thought he'd get peaceforce, but one could always hope. He had heard there was a special training program for it, but both of the peaceforcers he had met were rather distant and hadn't talked much around him. They had been courteous but watchful; and, it seemed to J'dan, a little detached. And Medical wasn't bad. They had adapted special harnesses and carriers that were airtight so critical patients could be taken _between _without complicating injuries or illnesses. By being assigned to Medical, they were saying that they trusted him, for no one who was untrustworthy was assigned anything higher than Cargo Division.

The next day he reported to his wingleader. The man looked at him and then Potarth. He was critically judging Potarth's wing and shoulder muscles. Finally he nodded. "He'll do. Nice proportions. Come with me. I'll show you how to fit the carrier harness and how to make sure that the carrier is in good working order. If for some reason it isn't and you can't get it working, have Potarth call for another one. It does no good whatsoever if the patient dies in transit because the conveyance was faulty."

J'dan nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand sir."

The man continued. "But I want you to understand that sometimes the patient _will _die in transit. Some injuries and illness are so grievous that nothing can be done. If that happens, or should I say, when that happens, you are not to blame yourselves. You are dragon and rider, not some all powerful miracle workers.

They had arrived at a large enclosure. M'stai opened a large door and pulled out what looked like an enclosed wheeled cart with a thick leather hawser attached to the top of it. He showed J'dan how to attach the special harness around Potarth's shoulders. He then showed him how to service the tanks that provided breathable air for the interior.

He had J'dan harness and unharness Potarth three times. Then after harnessing Potarth the fourth time, he closed the door and said, "Mount your dragon and lift the conveyance into the air. Pay special attention to the line. There shouldn't be any jerking as it becomes taut. Ideally, the occupants should feel no movement other than a gentle swaying once the conveyance is aloft."

Then he closed the door. J'dan mounted Potarth and Potarth launched himself and hovered with the line slack. Then he gently began ascending until he felt weight on his shoulders. He stroked the air with his wings and the conveyance rose smothly into the air.

M'stai nodded. He hadn't seen any jerking at all. This boy learned fast.

_How are you doing, dear heart,_ J'dan asked his dragon. _It's not too much weight is it?_

Potarth snorted at that. _This is easy. I could easily lift three times this much._

_Let's set it down, now,_ J'dan told him. _Make sure it's a gentle landing._

Potarth slowly lost altitude and the conveyance settled gently to the ground. Potarth came to a landing beside it.

M'stai was nodding. "Very good first effort. It looked like you have done that many times." He consulted the sun. "It's near time for the midday meal. We'll continue after the meal at the thirteenth hour. Dismissed. Get yourself something to eat.

* * *

_A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. I had thought this story would only have three chapters, but it's looking like there will be at least four, maybe five. I know it seems like this is going rather fast, and it is, but that's just how it appeared in my head. Don't forget to review._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here is the next chapter. A nice long one for you. Sorry it's taken a bit to get this one out, but it took a bit to write and get it right. Reviews are appreciated and missed when absent._

_Disclaimer: The Dragonriders Of Pern is a trademark of and copyrighted to Anne McCaffrey. This is fan fiction which garners _**NO MONEY WHATSOEVER**_ for the author of this fan fiction._

Chapter Three

One year later

J'dan was relaxing in his weyr when Potarth told him the Weyrleader wanted to see him. He mounted his dragon and Potarth landed on D'vid's ledge.

After dismounting, he announced himself and was told to enter.

He walked into the Weyrleader's office and saw not only the Weyrleader but also M'stai and L'set, the wingleader of Seventh wing.

"J'dan. Good. We have a proposal to make to you."

"A proposal, Weyrleader?"

"Yes," D'vid responded. "We'd like to temporarily transfer you to Seventh."

"Yes sir," J'dan said. "May I ask if I've done anything to compromise your trust in me?"

M'stai gave a low chuckle.

D'vid shot him a look then spoke. "No! Not at all. I have heard nothing but good things about you. This is an opportunity for a learning experience. And it is voluntary. You can stay in medical if you wish. From what I've heard, I think that Peaceforce could benefit from your inclusion, but a Peaceforcer must know all the duties of dragonriders. Peaceforce, after all, investigates all incidents of a questionable nature. After you learn Cargo and get a bit of experience, you will also have to be transferred, temporarily, to Passenger."

J'dan's face lit up and all three of the older riders were smiling. "Yes, sir!" he said enthusiastically. "I accept your proposal."

D'vid nodded. "Good. As of this moment you are assigned to Cargo division, Seventh wing."

L'set spoke up. "Come to see me tomorrow morning at the eighth hour and I'll have wing second T'sang get you started learning. And contrary to popular belief, Cargo is not for misfits or untrustworthy pairs. We take our responsibilities to get our clients' property to destination in exactly the same condition as we receive it very seriously."

* * *

One year later J'dan was again summoned to the Weyrleader's office.

"You have done very well young man," D'vid told him.

J'dan was expecting to be transferred to either First or Second. Instead, D'vid handed him a sealed envelope and said, "Please deliver this to D'gon at Landing and wait for his answer. You may go.

D'vid was puzzled at the abruptness of the Weyrleader. Maybe this was another test. Well, the only way to find out was to deliver the message.

* * *

Potarth landed near the main entrance to the main Landing complex. Since he was to wait for an answer he left Potarth harnessed.

He went inside and was met by a man sitting at a desk. "May I help you, rider?"

"I am here with a message for D'gon," J'dan said.

The man nodded. "Last door on your left."

J'dan thanked him and strode down the hallway. The last door on the left was unmarked. He knocked.

"Come in," called a voice on the other side.

J'dan stepped in and saw an average looking man with red hair sitting behind a desk.

"J'dan, rider of blue Potarth with a message from the Weyrleader of Ista. I am to wait for an answer." J'dan handed over the message.

The man opened the message and began to read. After a few moments he laid the message down on his desk and said, "Sit."

J'dan sat.

"So your Weyrleader thinks you'd be a good peaceforcer. Tell me, is that what you want. And be honest. If it's not, I can reject you at my discretion without any explanations. No embarrassment for you."

J'dan looked at the man in shock? The letter he had carried was a letter of recommendation? And recommendation for what? Peaceforcer training? Maybe there was some substance to those rumors after all.

"Yes," J'dan said. "I have wanted Peaceforce since my graduation from weyrling training."

"A Weyrleader's recommendation is always taken very seriously, but sometimes people are pushed into it. We don't want anyone in Peaceforce that doesn't want to be there. One moment." The man's eyes unfocused and J'dan recognized the look as someone who was communicating with his dragon.

Shortly he came back to himself and nodded. "My Sakanth says your Potarth tells him that you truly do want to be in Peaceforce. So welcome to Peaceforcer training rider J'dan."

"Then there really is a training program for Peaceforcers?" Jdan asked.

"Yes. And you are not to discuss it with non-peaceforcers. If someone asks you about it or to confirm that it exists, you are to act as if you hadn't heard. If they press, you are to politely, but firmly, inform them that such matters are none of their concern. What we do here is very serious. A peaceforcer is in a position of trust. We investigate questionable accidents, thefts and other crimes, maintain the peace, and sometimes apprehend and deliver suspects to a Lord Holder. If a person is exiled, a peaceforcer will execute sentence, delivering the convicted to their place of exile. We do not judge such suspects or convicted criminals. That is not our job. Our job is to maintain the peace and uphold the laws."

"I understand sir."

D'gon consulted a computer terminal and then spoke again. "I show that Second wing of Telgar is next up on the list for a new rider. If you wish to accept offer to become a peaceforcer, you will have to accept transfer to Telgar Weyr. Do you accept transfer?"

J'dan's eyes were wide. He hadn't realized that this would involve a transfer to another Weyr. But then he realized it didn't matter. So long as he had Potarth, it didn't matter where he was sent or what Weyr he served. He nodded his head. "I accept the transfer, sir."

D'gon nodded and his eyes unfocused briefly. Then he said. I have had Sakanth relay a message to the dragons of both Weyrleaders, Ista and Telgar, that you are now assigned to Telgar Weyr, Second Wing. When you leave here you are to report to the Weyrleader at Ista to pick up your transfer orders. Get your belongings and make any goodbyes you need. You will then report to the Weyrleader of Telgar and give give him the orders. After that is accomplished, and you have been assigned quarters and dropped your belonings, report to wingleader F'sal at Telgar. Be here tomorrow morning at the eleventh hour, our time. I believe that would make it the eighth hour at Telgar. We will begin orientation. Formal classes start in two sevendays. You have a to accomplish so get it done. Dismissed."

* * *

Peaceforce training was intense. J'dan learned hand to hand and knife and sword combat. He learned to observe and investigate. He and his classmates were told over and over again, that a peaceforcer was not a judge. That was the Lord Holder's duty and obligation. He learned Charter Law and how to interpret it properly.

Both he and Potarth, as well as the other pairs in training were put through exercises to teach them how to think like an investigator and how to track people who didn't want to be tracked.

At graduation the insignia of the peaceforcers, a collar pin with a stylized shield was pinned on the collar of each of the graduates.

D'gon made a very short statement.

"You have all done very well. While you are new and will have to prove yourselves to your wingleaders, I'm sure you will do just that and protect and serve the people of Pern to the best of your ability. You are all now full fledged peaceforcers. Congratulations."

* * *

When J'dan reported back to F'sal at Telgar, the man noticed his collar pin immediately. He extended his arm. As J'dan took his forearm in the forearm clasp, the older man said, "Congratulations on graduating. We'll partner you with an experienced rider till you get your feet under you and both you and I are comfortable with you operating solo."

J'dan nodded. That sounded real good to him, because he knew that while training was good it was no substitute for real world experience.

He was teamed up with a man named G'salk and his brown dragon Aleth. The man told him he was just to observe for the first few assignments they were given.

He had been observing for five assignments when Potarth told him Aleth said G'salk needed to see them in the bowl.

Upon seeing him, G'salk rushed over. "We're being dispatched to the main hold. It seems there is a case of missing funds, stolen, and Lord Laradian is furious. He has demanded a wing of peaceforcers."

J'dan laughed. A wing for a misappropriation of funds?

"It's not funny," G'salk said sternly.

J'dan nodded. "I wasn't laughing at the theft of his money. I was laughing at the thought of the Weyrleader sending an entire wing of peaceforcers for a simple theft."

G'salk nodded. That actually was rather humorous. "Well, in any case," G'salk said, "I am going to let you handle it. I'll be there to advise and pull your fat from the fire if needed, but I don't think it will be."

J'dan's eyes lit up. He was finally going to get to lead an investigation.

Both men mounted their dragons. The dragons launched themselves into the air and at the proper height slipped between.

Potarth and Aleth landed in the main courtyard of Telgar hold. The two men dismounted their dragons and strode toward the main hall.

Laradian was waiting for them "It's about time you showed up," he said brusquely. "I asked for an entire wing and they just send two?

"J'dan, rider of blue Potarth. G'salk, rider of brown Aleth," J'dan said. "How may the peaceforcers aid Telgar Hold, my Lord?"

He looked directly at G'salk. Why do you let a blue rider speak for you?

"J'dan is the chief investigator here. I am here to evaluate him. And assist him as needed. And in the peaceforcers a green or blue pair is just as competent as a bronze.

Laradian snorted. "Newfangled ideas. A green being equal to a bronze. Alright then." He looked at J'dan. "Hold funds have been stolen. A substantial sum. I want my money back and the perpetrator brought to justice."

"Yes sir. How much was stolen?"

"Don't see how that matters, but if you must know, fifty marks. _Fifty!"_

"Did you notice anyone in or around your strongroom within an hour or two before you noticed the money was missing?"

"No. I woke up this morning and at the end of the day, I went in to get funds to pay the laborers and found the discrepancy."

J'dan nodded. "Anyone missing from the hold?"

"What do you think I am," Laradian demanded. "An idiot? If there were, I would have men out searching for him now."

J'dan nodded. "No, my Lord, I don't think you are an idiot, but these questions must be asked, to eliminate them, if nothing else. I'll need to speak to your steward and your drudges. Your lady also. In fact I will need to speak to anyone who resides in the main hold."

"Do you know how long that's going to take? Whoever did this could have gotten away and spent my money by the time you are through asking your questions."

"Then we had better get started right away," J'dan said.

After exhaustive interviews, J'dan asked Potarth, _Well? Any ideas?_

_The steward is not telling the whole truth. He knows more that what he is saying._

J'dan nodded. He had gotten that impression too. But he couldn't put a finger on it.

_He said he had no family. Two of the drudges report they saw him with another man, who resembled him, on the night before the event._

J'dan went back and talked to the man again. He asked leading questions and got contradictory answers.

"In your original statement you said you were an only child. An orphan. Now you mention a brother. Which is it?"

"Not my real brother, like a child of my mother. A man I consider a brother. And I haven't seen him in at least a turn."

_He's lying, _Potarth told him.

J'dan rubbed his face thoughtfully. "Then why does my dragon say you are lying? You don't hide your thoughts very well, it seems."

"Your dragon is .. is .. mistaken!" he blurted out.

"I see. Then who was the man that two drudges saw you with the night before the theft? They say he resembled you."

"What? It was late, very late. All the drudges were in be..." The man trailed off, realizing his mistake.

He turned and ran.

Potarth took off and calmly landed in front of him. He ran headlong into the blue dragon. The dragon encircled the man with his claws, effectively imprisoning him.

J'dan calmly strolled out and asked Potarth to move his right foreleg so he could get to the man. As soon as the dragon moved the foreleg, J'dan stepped in and smoothly clapped on restraints before the man knew what had happened.

He led the man to the Lord's residence and knocked on the door.

Laradian answered it and when he saw his steward in restraints, his eyes bugged out. "What's going on here? Why do you have my steward in restraints?"

J'dan calmly explained what had happened. Laradian's face turned dark.

"You will explain yourself," he ordered his steward.

The man stood mute.

"Very well, then, you will bear the full brunt of the charges. I sentence you to..."

"One moment, my Lord," J'dan inturrupted. "This man has not had a fair hearing before a lawfully constituted tribunal."

"You are dismissed, peaceforcers. You have done an admirable job, even if you didn't find my money. I'll take it from here."

J'dan stood firm. "No sir. We are unable to retire from this matter at this time. This man is entitled, by charter amendment, to a fair hearing before a Lord, a craftmaster, and a Weyrleader. I cannot allow you to sentence this man yourself, although you do have the right to be on the tribunal, representing the holds."

"You peaceforcers and your technicalities," Laradian sneered. "I wasn't going to exile him."

"That matters not, sir," J'dan stated respectfully. "Any sentence you pronounce outside of tribunal is not binding and is, in fact, unlawful. The peaceforcers didn't write the charter or the amendments thereto. We simply follow and enforce them."

Laradian nodded unhappily. "Very well rider. I will call for the Mastersmith. Have your dragon call for a Weyrleader."

"Before we do that, sir, I'd like to speak to this man some more. When he knew he was caught he ran which gave me cause to arrest him. Once he was arrested, it had to be reported to you. Give me some time with him. I might be able to coax out of him who this other man is and why he won't speak. At least that way, there is at least a chance to retrieve your money."

Laradian nodded. "You may use his office. I'll show you the way."

Once they were inside the steward's office, J'dan removed the restraints and sat down at the man's desk.

"Sit down, Steward. Don't even think you can get away. You won't get past G'salk."

The man sat down sullenly.

"Now," J'dan said brightly. "Why don't you make it easier on yourself. Tell us who this man is and why you would steal or help him steal funds from the man who employed you. Laradian can be gruff, but he cares about his people. And he sees they are paid. By stealing this money, you violated the trust he placed in you. You don't look like a man who is inherently bad."

"You're young, lad," G'salk said. "This one looks like a liar and a deciever. If it wasn't for the money, I'd say let him be sentenced to fifteen turns in the mines of Crom."

The man paled at this.

"That's right," J'dan told him. "Fifteen turns of your life, just gone. If there are mitigating circumstances, that can be greatly shortened or possibly avoided altogether. Why are protecting this man? We know he is your brother."

The man sat mute.

"He obviously doesn't return your feelings as he's left you here to take the blame for him. Is he really worth wasting fifteen turns of your life? Do you know what it's like in the Mines of Crom?"

No response. J'dan might as well have been talking to a wall.

J'dan sighed in exasperation. He rose and walked around the desk. He raised his right hand to scratch his left eyebrow and the man flinched raising his arms in a defensive gesture.

J'dan continued with the motion, scratched the itch and dropped his arm to his side. He then looked at the man and said coldly, "We do not abuse or torture criminals to gain information. Since you won't talk, I'll have my dragon call for the Weyrleader of Telgar and you may have your hearing and begin serving your sentence. Get up."

When the man rose, G'salk slapped the restraints back on him.

The man had a hearing and stood mute. Since he would not speak in his own defense, or reveal the plans of the other man and himself, there was no choice but to convict him. He was sentences to fifteen turns in the mines of Crom.

After J'dan delivered him to the prison mine and they were back in the Weyr, he asked G'salk, "What did I do wrong? I couldn't get him to talk."

G'salk laid his hand on J'dan's shoulder. "You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all. Sometimes you don't get all the answers. You did very well. I am going to recommend to the wingleader that you are ready to operate solo."

J'dan's eyes widened. "Even though we didn't retrieve Lord Laradian's money?"

"When you are investigating an assault or a murder, are you able to erase the damage that was done? No. You have to be satisfied that justice was served. This doesn't make it anywhere near right, but losing fifty marks, even though it will sting quite a bit, is not going to cause Telgar Hold to fall. Letting the man go without punishment however, would set a dangerous precedent and encourage anarchy. An example was set that no one may steal without there being serious repercussions. Be satisfied with that. There was nothing more to be done without resorting to physical violence, which, as you assured him, we do _not_ allow."

J'dan nodded. He still wish he had found and retrieved Laradian's money, but the man was going to pay for the crime.

* * *

J'dan was now nineteen and had earned the respect of his fellow peaceforcers and the rest of the Weyr as well. He had participated in a hunt for a band of brigands that had been raiding travelers on the way to and from Telgar. Potarth had spotted something strange from the air in a remote valley. It turned out to be a cave with the entrance cleverly concealed. He had alerted the others and when the band had come out that morning they had faced a bronze, two browns, and five blues. They had wisely surrendered.

J'dan was feeling particularly pleased as several travelers had been relieved of all of their valuables by these scoundrels.

It had been a long day. He bid Potarth goodnight and laid down to go to sleep.

He woke to the very worried faces of his parents and brothers.

* * *

_A/N: That's it for this chapter. And no the story is not over. There is still more story to tell. Sorry about the cliffie but the story plan called for the chapter to end there. See you next chapter. Don't forget to review._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Here is the next and final chapter. It's a nice long one. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Reviews are welcome and missed when absent_

_Disclaimer: The Dragonriders of Pern is a trademark of and copyrighted to Anne McCaffrey. This is fan fiction and garners _**NO MONEY WHATSOEVER**_ for the author of this work._

* * *

Chapter Four

J'dan looked up into the very worried faces of his parents and brothers. Then his eyes unfocused as he reached for Potarth and found ... nothing!

"Potarth!" he called out loud.

He heard his mother, "Jordan, are you all right? What's a potarth?"

He came back to himself and asked, "What happened?"

"We were bailing hay when you passed out," his older brother told him. "Since there weren't any injuries. I carried you back here."

J'dan, no Jordan now, as the honorific was only for dragonriders and he obviously wasn't one since Potarth was either gone or a figment of his imagination, asked, "How long was I out?"

"About twenty minutes," Jerry, his other brother said.

Jordan's eyes widened in shock. _Twenty minutes? _"That's impossible. I had a dream. I think it was a dream. It lasted six turns, I mean years."

His mother, a respected General Practitioner nodded. "That's entirely possible. A bit of a stretch but not too much. But why was their no rapid eye movement? In a dream there is always rapid eye movement as you look from one place to the next in your dream."

Jordan knew in his heart that what he had experienced was not a dream. Such would be to deny Potarth's existence. He knew he would always miss his dragon.

He sat up on the bed and looked around. Then it hit him. His body was still that of a thirteen year old. Well, it didn't matter; he retained all his memories of the 'dream'. He was essentially a nineteen year old in a thirteen year old body.

"Don't exert yourself, Jordan," his mother told him. "We still don't know what happened."

Jordan nodded. He slowly stood up and felt no disorientation. "I feel fine."

"So let's go in the living room and you can tell us about this dream," his dad said.

Jordan knew he would never be able to tell anyone about what happened. Using the training he had received as a peaceforcer, he schooled his face into one of puzzlement. "Hmmm. I can't seem to remember," he lied. "Doesn't matter," he continued, shrugging.

"Well, I want you to take it easy for the rest of today and the weekend," Mr. Tillek told him.

"I can do my chores," Jordan protested. "I want to do 'em. They're fun. All except cleaning the barn, and I'm not up for that until Monday anyway."

His dad looked at him skeptically then shrugged. Jordan had always liked the chores. Except, as he had just stated, mucking out the stalls. He was actually rather glad his son had a good work ethic at a young age. Well, the chores were done for today, in any event.

* * *

That night, Jordan woke feeling a bit odd. He looked at the bedside clock and it showed it was 1:00am. All of a sudden, he realized what felt odd and it fell into place. He could feel Potarth. He reached with his mind and found his beloved dragon.

_Where are you, sweetheart?_

Potarth showed him a picture of the inside of the barn.

Jordan got out of bed and quickly dressed. He silently left the house and raced for the barn. He entered the barn and saw his beautiful blue dragon in the moonlight. He ran up to him. Potarth lowered his head and nuzzled him.

Jordan scratched his eyeridges. Potarth crooned in contentment. _How have you gotten smaller, little __one?, _the great dragon asked.

"I don't know, love," J'dan whispered back. "It doesn't matter. We're together. That's all that counts."

Potarth rumbled agreement.

_Are you hungry, _J'dan asked silently.

_No. I hunted before we went to sleep._

_That's right,_ J'dan remembered. _It's been a full day for me._

_I think I timed it,_ Potarth told him, _to get here to you. I woke up and you were gone. I couldn't hear you. I remembered this place from your memories so I came here. If I hadn't found you I would have went _between_ and stayed there. I said I would follow you anywhere. And I will. _Suddenly Potarth became more alert. _We are being watched, _he told his rider. He showed his rider a picture of J'dan's mother.

J'dan didn't even turn. "Come on over, Mom. There's someone I want you to meet."

Elaine Tillek's eyes were wide. In the barn was a dragon out of myth. Its head was lowered and it seemed to be communing with her son. And how had Jordan known she was there? She had been totally silent.

"Jordan! What is that thing? And how did you know I was here?"

"He told me," J'dan said. "Come on over. I want you to meet my dragon. My best friend in all the universe." Suddenly he realized. "Don't worry. He won't hurt you. He may look fierce but these dragons do _not_ harm humans. Especially their chosen human."

Elaine walked over tentatively. The dragon brought his head up to eye level with her and she was staring into an enormous intelligent eye.

_I am most pleased to meet the woman who bore my rider, _she heard in her head. _You don't ever have to fear for him. I will never leave him or let anything happen to him._

Elaine looked around, eyes wide. Had that thing spoken to her? In her mind? What was going on here?

"That was him, Mom," J'dan explained. "These dragons are telepathic. Not everyone can hear them even when addressed directly, but since I can, it's likely you could too. And you are the first human, besides me to whom he has ever spoken."

Elaine just shook her head. "What's going on here, Jordan? Where did this thing come from?"

"I'll thank you to speak of my dragon as 'him' rather than 'it'", J'dan told her. "And he is a dragon, not a thing. He comes from Pern. Third planet in orbit about the star of Rukbat. What's more important is _when_ he come from. He comes from the year 4623."

"_What?" _Elaine whispered. "That's not possible."

"I don't see how it's possible to live six years in twenty minutes, but I did it."

"When you were unconscious? Six years?" Elaine was confused. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I, Mom," J'dan told her. "I woke up on a hard floor of a rather primitive kitchen. I was taken to see the woman in charge. She told me I was on a planet two hundred light years from Earth in the year 4617. Later I was searched, it's kind of like an examination, and found worthy to stand at a hatching of dragon eggs. I did and this fellow, not five minutes out of his shell, chose me to be his rider."

Elaine stared at her son agog. "But you never left here. Your body was here the entire time. If this is true, where did your body on this planet come from?"

J'dan shook his head. "Don't know. When I woke up and felt Potarth's mind I couldn't believe it. But I shouldn't have been surprised. He said he would follow me anywhere. Didn't realize that meant any_when_, as well."

_Anywhere, anywhen; it's all the same to a dragon, _Potarth told him.

Suddenly Elaine realized something. Her son was not speaking like a thirteen year old but like an adult many years his senior. She looked at his face, his eyes and saw someone much older than a thirteen year old boy.

"So what now?" she asked. "You can't keep him here. Neither your dad nor I would mind, seeing how he is so protective of you, but I'm sure he has to eat. And he must eat a lot. There is no way we could keep him a secret. The news media would find out, and then where are we?"

"He usually eats only once every five or six days, but when he does he usually takes a couple of hear... I'm sorry, cows. Or steers. And you're right. He can't stay here. But he won't leave without me.

Elaine felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned and the dragon's head was very close. _Your son is correct. I will _not_ leave here without him. He is my rider. I am his dragon. We belong to each other._

Elaine stared at the creature in shock. It was disconcerting for her to hear a voice in her head, but more so was the intensity of the voice. This thing, this dragon, she corrected herself, was totally and unswervingly committed to her son and would not let anything happen to him.

"I'm glad he has such a companion," she told the dragon. "But you can_not_ stay here. The scientists of this time would imprison you, study you. And you most likely wouldn't get everything you need from the animals you eat here."

_A dragon cannot be imprisoned. Or separated from his rider._

"He's correct there, Mom," J'dan said. "There is no force in the universe that can keep a dragon where he doesn't want to be. He would just go _between,_ that is, teleport, to get back to his rider. How do you think he got here? He teleported, not just through space, but through time itself." His face set as he made a decision.

Then she saw the set look on Jordan's face. "What are you planning, young man?"

"I can't tell you, Mom," he said. Then with the dragon crouched in a peculiar fashion, he stepped onto the creature's proffered foreleg and vaulted into position.

Elaine's mouth fell open. It looked like he had done that hundreds of times. Well, if what he said was true, then he had.

"Jordan, get down here right now. I don't care what happened in your 'dream' or whatever it was, but you are a thirteen year old boy"

"I am also a dragonrider," he told her, somewhat stiffly. "A protector of the planet Pern. I cannot and will not shirk my responsibilities. Isn't that what you and Dad always taught us boys? To be responsible. For me to stay here would be the height of irresponsibility, both to my dragon and to the planet I am sworn to protect. I love you, Dad and my brothers, but I _must_ do this. Make sure you watch the news tomorrow."

With that Potarth walked out of the barn and launched himself into the air.

_Where to now? _Potarth asked him.

_Land beside the small building next to the house._

Potarth did and J'dan dismounted. He went into the shed and emerged with a scuba tank, mask and regulator. He checked the pressure level and then put the regulator in his mouth. He breathed in, and satisfied that the air inside the tank wasn't too stale, nodded. Removing the regulator from his mouth, he shrugged the tank over his back and remounted.

By this time his mother had awakened her husband and just as he gained his seat, he heard his father command. "Get down from that thing right now, young man!"

J'dan waved and Potarth launched himself into the air.

At a height of about twenty feet they slipped _between._

"What is going on," Robert Tillek asked his wife. "You said Jordan was with a dragon. I thought you were dreaming. Dragons are a myth."

"He says the dragon comes from another planet far in the future. He says he went there when he was unconscious. He claims to have been their six years. He said he's mentally linked with that creature. It seems insane, but I heard the dragon speak to me. In my head. He assured me he would never leave Jordan or let anything happen to him. He called him his rider. He also said a dragon and rider can't ever be separated." She shook her head in wonder. "This is all so impossible."

Robert stared at his wife. She was undoubtedly telling the truth, or thought she was. And he had heard, _He'll be fine. I'll see to it._ He somehow knew he hadn't heard it with his ears. It had sounded like Jordan's voice spoken through a long tunnel.

"Well, we can't ever tell anyone about this," Robert said. "They'd have us in for psychiatric evaluation. And they might just take Jim and Jerry, calling us unfit parents."

"He said be sure to watch the news tomorrow.," Elaine told her husband. "I could tell he's planning something. I think he plans to go back to wherever the dragon comes from. He talked about not shirking his responsibilities."

"Why would he need SCUBA gear, then?" Robert mused. "He had the tank I bought him last year on his back."

"He said something about going between, whatever that means. He said his dragon teleported two hundred light years and almost three thousand years to get to him."

Robert shook his head. "Well let's call the police first thing in the morning."

"The police? You said we can't tell anyone about this."

"And we won't. Not even the boys. He wasn't at breakfast. We looked in every room in the house, the barn, the storage shed and he is nowhere to be found. A missing person usually takes twenty four hours but with a child, that doesn't apply. They are going to be looking at us, considering the possibility that we did something to him. He would want us to protect ourselves."

* * *

The next day at about five O'clock Potarth emerged from _between_ right over the television station. He landed in the back. J'dan phoned the station on his cell. "You want to get a reporter and a camera crew out back.," he told them and then hit the END button.

Shortly there were people staring in shock at the dragon and mounted rider. Potarth crouched and J'dan slid from his seat. He walked about two steps from his dragon and stopped. He beckoned the reporter over.

The reporter, a good looking dark haired man of middle years tentatively stepped closer. When he began to speak, J'dan held up his hand.

"I am Jordan Tillek. I want to assure everyone that I am fine and the search needs to be discontinued. You wouldn't find me anyway. Yes, this is a dragon. _My_ dragon. We will be departing shortly and won't be returning."

"Where did that, that, dragon come from?" the reporter asked. J'dan just smiled and walked the two steps to his dragon. He waved and then Potarth launched himself into the air. He pulled the hood of his jacket up over his head, put the regulator in his mouth and then gave Potarth the visualization. He took them _between._

* * *

Wingleader F'sal was discussing assignments with his second when he heard the watch dragon trumpet a challenge. He looked up and saw a blue coming in for a landing.

_J'dan and Potarth,_ his dragon informed him. _Something isn't right. Potarth is very very hungry._

"Have them land here and then Potarth can go eat.," F'sal told his dragon aloud.

When he saw the rider dismount, he looked at him in shock. "Who are you and what are you doing on J'dan's dragon?"

"J'dan sir. Reporting back."

"You aren't J'dan. J'dan is nineteen. You can't be anymore than ten turns old!"

_Potarth confirms that this is J'dan. He says he is starving._

"Send your dragon to the feeding ground," F'sal told him. After the dragon took wing, he said, "How did you get younger, rider?"

"I don't know, sir," J'dan said. He made a full report of what had happened.

The wingleader nodded, a bit stunned. This might look like a boy of ten turns, but his report was concise and delivered like a trained peaceforcer. The only part he wasn't so sure he approved of was going public, and said so.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I couldn't allow them to think my parents had caused me harm. What is one of the things a peaceforcer looks at when a child is missing, injured or killed? The parents. We usually find they had nothing to do with it, but the police on Earth at the time, their peaceforcers, at it were, saw parents harming their children much more often than we do."

"What kind of society breeds people that harms their children? Looks like you're better off here," F'sal told him.

"Only because this is where my dragon belongs, sir. My parents would _never_ harm me. However, there were many, many more people on that planet, even in that society, than are here on Pern. At last count the population of my native country, America, was three hundred million. And that doesn't include the rest of the planet. Somewhat like four to four and a half billion humans alive at that time. There's more now, but they're spread out over the galaxy, not just on one planet."

F'sal stared at him agog. He could hardly imagine so high a number. Then he recovered his wits. "You are off duty for the rest of the day, rider. You are also off investigative duty indefinitely. No one is going to take you seriously when you look like a ten turn old boy. We'll find you an assignment."

"I would like to volunteer to be an instructor at Landing in the peaceforcer training program. I still have all the knowledge of my time here."

F'sal nodded. "I'll take that into consideration. You are dismissed for the rest of the day, rider. Report to my weyr at the ninth hour tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir." J'dan turned smartly and walked to the feeding ground. After Potarth had finished he stopped to pick up his rider and then took them back to their weyr.

* * *

His request was granted, mainly because they didn't know where else to put him. He demonstrated to D'gon that his peaceforcer training was intact. Even though he was small, he was able to hold his own against those who had not had peaceforcer training.

They had him assisting at first and then gave him a class of his own. The first class he taught was Advanced Hand Combat, where he taught the students how to apprehend and arrest those who didn't want to be apprehended.

He walked into the classroom, rather nervous, because he wanted to do a good job here and it was his first solo assignment.

_You'll do fine,_ he heard Potarth reassure him.

There were ten students ranging from seventeen to twenty one.

They looked at him and assumed he was the instructor's assistant.

"Listen up, everyone!" he called. "I am you instructor. My name is J'dan, rider of blue Potarth. And you are going to learn how to take down and arrest suspects who object to this idea."

The class stared at him. This was their instructor? Peaceforcer training must be getting really desperate to put a weyrling in charge of an advanced class.

"Don't be fooled by my appearance," he told them in a low dangerous tone. "I can take anyone of you here. It won't be that way once you're trained, but without training, you don't stand a chance."

Most of the class looked at him with new found respect. It wasn't the words, but how it was said. Surely, confidently and with a knowledge they didn't have. The look on his face showed someone who had seen more than ten turns of living.

One, however, laughed outright. "You take me? I don't think so kid. You're what? Ten turns old? I could put you down without breaking a sweat."

J'dan sized him up and knew that he had gotten his way by brute force more than once. What a dragon had seen in him was beyond the bluerider, but the dragon knows.

"Alright, candidate. Come ahead. Put me down on the floor and keep me there. Think of it as a challenbge. Cause you'll never do it." J'dan's manner was supremely confident.

The candidate stepped out into the clear space between the front wall and the chairs and said, "Any rules?"

"Yeah, get it done. Whatever it takes," J'dan responded.

The man reached for J'dan and found himself on the floor with his arm behind his back. "This, class," J'dan explained, "is what we call an arm bar take down. The main requirement is surprise. The subject goes down or gets his arm broken."

J'dan released the man and stepped back.

"You surprised me kid. You won't do it again." He assumed a fighting crouch.

This time J'dan moved in and before the man knew what was going on he had his right arm in a V position and his wrist held in a very peculiar position. "This is what is called a twist-lock," J'dan calmly informed the class. "Normally the upper arm would be extended horizontally to the ground, but I'm shorter than the subject. With this position, the subject will do whatever you want him to do, as resisting is rather painful."

He released the man once again and said. "That's enough fun for today. Back to your seat. We have work to do."

The man numbly returned to his seat, thoroughly confused.

"Now, I need a volunteer. I'll show you how we perform those two techniques you just saw. Don't worry, I'll do it slowly and just go through the motions. The first, the arm bar take down, is rather easy. The twist-lock, however, does take some practice."

* * *

J'dan returned to Telgar at the end of the day, pleased with the day's work. He would be glad when his body grew up, because he actually liked investigating. He knew that training was important, but it wasn't what he wanted to do.

Potarth was rather uneasy about sleeping any distance from his rider. He seemed to worry that J'dan would disappear again. So J'dan got his blanket and made himself a bed next to his dragon.

I am not going anywhere, this time, love," he reassured Potarth, lovingly. Anywhere Potarth was, really was home.

* * *

_A/N: Well, that's it for this story. I know, I know. There are a lot of unexplained things. Sorry. That's just the way it appeared in my head. As a wise philosopher once stated, "The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine." Don't forget to review._


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